Digital Movement in Math Materials Picks Up Speed

The shift in K-12 schools to digital products and services is gaining traction in the mathematics market segment.

0

SHARES

The shift in K-12 schools to digital products and services is gaining traction in the mathematics market segment. Approximately 28% of mathematics class time is spent using digital tools and/or digital content, according to respondents in a recent survey report from Education Market Research (EMR), a company providing analysis and data on the U.S. K-12 publishing market.

EMR’s recent report, "Mathematics/STEM Market, K-12: Teaching Methods, Traditional Materials Used and Needed, and Market Size," strongly suggests there has been a shift to digital in K-12 schools which can be documented starting in earnest in 2009. Along with providing data on the movement towards digital, the report gives readers insight from the educator’s perspective.

Increased spending, especially as it relates to the rush to compliance with the new Common Core standards and assessments, is the primary force pushing the $2.6 billion K-12 Math market ahead at a rapid pace. This trend is expected to continue through 2014-2015 and beyond.

In terms of significant obstacles standing in the way of rapid implementation of STEM education, lack of funds, lack of time, and lack of relevant teacher training are the major stumbling blocks, according to survey respondents in the report.

There were some differences noted in the report when comparing the responses of educators in textbook adoption and open territory (non-adoption) states. For example, the adoption states seem to be running ahead of the non-adoption states in terms of average digital usage time in the classroom, but the non-adoption states appear to be running ahead in terms of implementing the new Common Core. In fact, the survey report shows that Common Core was rated as more important by those in non-adoption states compared to those in adoption states.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital education content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, today launched a new multi-year partnership that will deepen middle and high school students’ engagement in mathematics nationwide. In this new collaboration, which harnesses students’ interest in professional basketball to help teach important mathematics concepts, interactive math problems derived from NBA and WNBA game footage and statistics such as points, rebounds, assists and more, have been integrated into Discovery Education’s Math Techbook™.

Elementary math students are improving as much as three grade-level equivalents over the course of one school year as a result of SuccessMaker, an adaptive digital learning environment for K-8 students, according to the latest independent efficacy research from Gatti Evaluation, Inc.

Sunburst Digital and Scolab Inc. have entered into a two year sales and marketing relationship whereby Sunburst will represent Scolab’s BuzzMath online middle school math practice service across the United States.